Last Tuesday night, Alhambra’s Council chambers were filled with residents attending the Planning Commission meeting where the City Ventures LLC Midwick project was discussed and considered.

Alhambra Preservation Group had six board members in attendance with three board members speaking against the project. “While none of the buildings in the proposed construction zone are listed on the National Register of Historic Places or included in Alhambra’s list of historic buildings, that does not mean the buildings aren’t significant. Some of them date back to 1937, and most were built between 1947 to 1968,” stated Christine Olson, APG President. “The city of Alhambra … has not compiled a list of its historic resources in more than 30 years, and that one was limited in its scope. What that means is that no one really knows if there are locally significant historic buildings in Midwick that will be demolished by this project,” she continued.

The meeting lasted until after 10 p.m with almost two and a half hours of public comment. Resident after resident gave informed, rational and heartfelt reasons why the project, which will be located at 2400 South Fremont Avenue in the Midwick Tract, should not move forward. Unfortunately, the Planning Commission approved the project by a vote of 7 to 2. Tom Maloney and Ross Maza were the only commissioners to vote against the project, which will demolish all existing structures, build 70 new residences and re-zone a portion of the area. The proposed project’s specific plan will now go before the City Council for final approval.

At its annual award presentation in late fall, Alhambra Preservation Group honored three remarkable historic homes with Heritage Home Awards. Among the awardees was a 1925 Pueblo Revival residence located in the Emery Park Tract. Guests at the November meeting were surprised to learn that it was once the childhood home of little Barbara Iverson, Alhambra’s own “Princess of Beauty” who in 1940, at 8 years of age, was chosen to lead the Storybook Parade down Main Street, before a huge crowd of onlookers and admirers estimated at more than 50,000 people. Barbara’s subsequent career as an actress, musician, poet and songwriter began in Alhambra, when she was a student at Emery Park School.

Emery Park was a newly-developed residential area on the outskirts of Alhambra when Daniel Eckerman bought two acres of land here in 1924. Intending to make his fortune in the booming real estate market, he hired a local construction firm to build several small homes for him in styles that reflected the Spanish influence that was extremely popular at the time. The Pueblo Revival residence honored by APG with its 2014 Heritage Home Award features a smooth stucco exterior finish, painted in subtle earth tones; minimal ornamentation; a flat roof with no overhang and terra cotta tile capping the parapet; and a restrained arch over the dining room window, which is echoed in the front porch entry.

Purchased by its current owners in 2005, the home had suffered a prolonged period of neglect. In addition to addressing the home’s long-deferred maintenance issues, they completely renovated the kitchen and bathrooms, while also adding a new bedroom suite. Where possible, they preserved valuable historic features and materials; where necessary, they replaced missing or damaged elements with ones that matched the character and quality of the originals. The result is a harmonious blend of modern comforts and historic character that is fully ADA compliant and more than ready to meet the needs of a new century. In recognition of the owners’ investment in the preservation of Alhambra’s architectural heritage, this home now proudly displays its Heritage Home Award sign.

Alhambra Preservation Group, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, was founded in 2003 to ensure that the historical, architectural and cultural resources of Alhambra are identified, protected and celebrated for their contributions to Alhambra’s heritage, economy and environment. For more information, contact us at (626) 795-3467 or visit our website.